Preparing for Exams

1. Preparing for Exams Dealing With Stress & Revision

2. Introduction • Too little or too much stress can cause problems • Too little = boredom, lack of motivation • Too much = anxiety, panic, fatigue, burn-out • Ideal level = challenge, motivation, rewarding

3. Introduction • Stress is a necessary part of life • Poor time management is most common cause of stress • Exam stress can be dealt with

4. Dealing with stress - advice • You can decide to succeed • Stress can be catching – help each other, don’t worry each other • Take a break before you feel tired • Take regular exercise • Don’t use coffee or alcohol as a prop • Have SOME fun too

5. Dealing with stress - advice • Relax before bed-time. • Find positive ways to help you sleep. • Avoid intense revision the night before an exam. • Don’t have detailed post-mortems after an exam. Let it go. • Believe in your own ability.

6. "Revision Without Guilt" What should I do? Planning a revision programme

7. "Revision Without Guilt" • 4 Study Periods per morning • Take a break after 2 Periods • Periods are 40-50 minutes long • Finish by Lunch-time • Allocate 10 working days during the “holiday”

8. Target Setting • Set yourself a target you know you will stick to. • If you want the highest grades, you will have to work for them. • In that case, you should definitely use four 50-minute sessions a day.

9. Allocating Time (1) • Divide up the tasks you have got to do into short sections. • Don’t spend a whole morning on one subject. Vary things so that you never get bored. • Give all your subjects a fair share of the time.

10. Allocating Time (2) • It is tempting, but mistaken, to give more time to the things you enjoy. • Start the morning with something you like, or something you have less of a problem with. • Try to finish with something you like. It builds confidence.

11. Extra Sessions (1) • Remember they are a bonus. • Don’t work in the afternoon or evening instead of the morning. • …Unless you have planned it that way, to avoid something on your "Essential" list).

12. Extra Sessions (2) • If you work in the evening, finish at least an hour before bed. • Avoid doing more than 2 hours work in the evening(!) • Take breaks in the same way as you did in the morning.

13. Remember, Remember... • Never miss a planned work day, unless you are ill. • Once you have written your timetable, try not to change it. • Treat the timetable as seriously as you can. • Set yourself a target and stick to it.

14. Advice Corner (1) • Tick off the sessions as you complete them. It will remind you how much progress you are making. • There are 40-50 slots to be filled. It is up to you whether you attempt the extra sessions. Fit them in as and when you can.

15. Advice Corner (2) • When you take your breaks, don’t switch on the T.V. • Write in the “rewards” you will give yourself for completing a morning’s work (e.g. going out with friends) . • Remember that “Revision Without Guilt” means that the afternoons are yours.

16. Always Achieve Closure Never end a Revision session without at least one of these: • Something you have learnt • Something you have tested • Something you have achieved • Something you have completed • Something you are proud of

17. Revision Without Guilt • Available from Tutors: • Copy of the information needed to draw up a Revision Programme • “Revision Without Guilt” Timetable Grid

18. Also Available: • Stress-busting (A PowerPoint presentation on dealing with Exam Stress) • Planning (A PowerPoint presentation from Tutorial session in November) • On network – Drive P, Look for Revising for Exams folder

19. Revision Without Guilt Good Luck Happy Campers!